Senate elections won for the first time by ANO, government clubs retain majority

ANO won eight seats in this year's elections. The STAN movement won the most seats of any government group, six. The senatorial clubs of the ruling parties are likely to have a majority of at least 59 seats in the Senate out of 81. ODS defended five of the ten seats, KDU-ČSL defended two seats, and two of the TOP 09 nominees, who defended one seat, won. Voters sent 23 men and four women to the senatorial benches for the next six years.

Last weekend, in the first round, they were elected Jana Mračková Vildumetzová in the Sokolov region and Martin Bednář in Ostrava (both ANO), while the mandate was defended by diplomat and former presidential candidate Pavel Fischer (for TOP 09) in the Prague 12 constituency, Jiří Čunek (KDU-ČSL) and Petr Vícha (ČSSD) in the Karviná region.

Candidates nominated by the parties of the governing coalition won in a total of 15 districts. The most successful of the government groups was STAN, which won a total of six seats. ODS defended five of the ten seats, KDU-ČSL won two, and two of the nominees of TOP 09, which defended one seat, won. In the remaining districts, representatives of SOCDEM, SEN 21, Přísahy and Stanislav Balík as an independent candidate were successful.

The re-election of Přemysl Rabas (for SEN 21) in the Chomutov region means that the SEN 21 and Pirates senatorial caucus will probably remain with a minimum of five members. On the other hand, the defeat of Communist Jaroslav Kominek in the same district also means that the KSČM will not return for a third attempt to the Senate, where its representation ended six years ago. Similarly, the SPD movement will not win a seat in the Senate this year either, as its only finalist, Pavel Dopita, lost a duel in Prostějov.

The Přísaha movement, on the other hand, became the new parliamentary party thanks to its chair, Róbert Šlacht, who won both rounds of elections in the Břeclav region.

Egyptologist Miroslav Bárta (for TOP 09 and STAN) won a seat in the upper chamber of Parliament in the Prague 2 constituency, depriving incumbent Senator Marek Hilšer of his seat. 

elected after round 1:

"The second round of the Senate elections in the Zlín constituency ended with the closest margin of votes. The difference between the winner and the loser was 731 votes. The youngest-ever elected senator is 40 years old and is historically the 13th senator elected at this youngest possible age. The oldest elected senator is 75 years old," warns the 1st Vice-President of the Czech Statistical Office Eva Krumpová. The average age of the newly elected senators and senators is 53.7 years.

The highest voter turnout was in constituency 68 - Opava, with 23.30 % voters turning out. On the other hand, the lowest interest in the second round of the Senate elections was recorded in District No. 62 - Prostějov, where the turnout was 12.15 %.

In the first round, which was held together with the regional elections, 30.47 % voters turned out for the Senate elections, while in the second round it was 17.54 %. Two years ago, 42.65 % voters showed interest in the Senate elections in the first round, and 19.44 % voters in the second round.

Despite the victory of ANO and the weakening of ODS, the senatorial clubs of the governing parties will have a majority of at least 59 seats in the Senate of eighty-one. The coalition factions could lose their majority in two years, when 22 of their senators will be defending their seats, compared to just one for ANO. The ODS and TOP 09 club, despite the weakening from 36 to at least 29 members, will remain the largest faction with the right to nominate the Senate president. Miloš Vystrčil (ODS) will in all likelihood remain the head of the upper chamber.

Similarly, Jiří Drahoš will remain First Vice-Chair of the Senate for the STAN movement, as the Mayors' Caucus defended all six seats and will remain the second strongest caucus with 18 members. The KDU-ČSL Senatorial Caucus should continue to have at least twelve members, thanks to the fact that the People's Party candidates won again in the elections in two districts

For the first time in history, the joint ANO and SOCDEM caucus may be the third strongest faction in the Senate with at least 13 members, and for the first time ANO may have a seat in its leadership. This faction will have to find a new chairman, as its current head Miroslav Adámek (ANO) did not defend his senatorial mandate this year.

 After each renewal of one-third of the upper chamber, senators elect its representatives, heads of committees and commissions. The clubs have until the last week of October to reach an agreement, when the renewed upper house could meet for its constituent assembly after the national holiday on 28 October. At that meeting, this year's elected senators will take the oath of office and take up their full mandate.

gnews - RoZ

GRAPHICS - ceskatelevize.cz and CSU